Differential clutch mechanism for automobiles.



F. W. HEDGELAND.

DIFFERENTIAL CLUTCH MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED APB.13,190B.

906,017',V f Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

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U U g J U UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK W. HEDGELAND, OF CANTON, OHIO.

DIFFERENTIAL CLUTCH MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

Application illod April 13, 1908. Serial No. 426,689.

the construction `shown in'my application No. 374,490, led May 18, 1907,y and generally asan improvement upon clutches of the class set -forth in said application.. The mechanism of the invention is adapted to transmit like powerto both axles or wheels, to permit eitherwhejel to overrun when turning corners, and to'finsure engagement of both clutches whenboth Wheels overrun. The construction also ermits ther employment ofthe motor in braking or retarding the wheels lwhenever that'may be necessary, andpossesses great simplicity and strength and is easily yapplied to existing automobiles.

-The nature'o' the invention is fully set forth below and'illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which 'r F1 re 1 is an elevation of thel driving wliee s and axles of an vautomobile to which my invention has been applied. Fig.- 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the clutch mechanis and Figs. 3' and 4 are sections on the lin s 3-'-3 and 4 4, respectivel f, of ,l

Fig. 1g. 5 is a detail perspective o one of the parts.- i

In said drawin s,- 7 and@ are the axles of the driving-Whees 9 and 10, each turning treel'yand independently.` The inner `ends of the axlesy t'owhich the clutch mechanism is applied are rounded', asi-n Figs. 2' and 3 and are'in abuttingv contact, as'shown, and are supported in any suitable way,-as, for inl. stance, by the bearings 11 and 12 in the stathereon orattached thereto, adapted to receive power from the mzotor` of the machine, encirc es the abutting ends ot the two shafts and is provided with two interior mclined friction-surfaces `17 and 18, one for 'eaclr clutch. At one side of the i'ingl is a cupvshifting movements of the members.

segments nt loosely on threaded screw sec' tions, ridmg on the to of the threads with-` shaped member 19, having an interior inclined friction-surface 20, and at the other side of the ring is a similar cup-shaped member 21, having an interior inclined frictionsurface 22. The surfaces 17 and 22 incline in one direction, and the surfaces 18 and 20 incline in the opposite direction. shaped members are provided with sleeves 23, fitting the axles andinclosed by the bearings 11 and 12. The ring and the clutch members 19 and 21 form the non-shifting 4members of the clutches, and the Tlare also the driving members thereof an vided lwith exterior eyes adaptedv to receive the bolts 24, whereby they are secured together, so that they form substantially a barrel or drum adapted to hold. oil and Within which the moving parts of the clutch may be located. y l l The ends of the axles are squared for a short distance, as shown, and upon these square portions threaded screw-sections 25 and 26 are `fitted, and confined against'movement on the axles between the shoulders or faces 190 and210 upon the inside of the cup members 19 and 21. Each screw section is independent of the other, and can turn with the shaft on which it is mounted. These screw sections are threaded in the same direction, preferably right hand, and they enage corresponding t ireads on the inside of t e 'shifting members 27 and 2 8 of the clutch. These shifting members are also the driven members, and they are formed with oppo- Both cup-l sitely inclined friction surfaces as plainly space isformed between the sections, as seen at Fig. 2 which is intended to prevent any locking contact between them.

Instead of the spanners of my said appli.- cation, I now em )loy with the shit'tmg driven members of t ie clutch the grooved or channeled stop segments 35 to limit the out -engaging them, ut they engage the shifting members by means of flanges 36 The Y ing members, and be prevented from revolving with the driven members, the driving members are notched as at 87 and the tension rings provided with projections 38 iittino' the notches" as shown more particularly at ig. 4. The tension rings and shifting members. all travel together as a unit except when either clutch is differentiated, and then the hub of one of the members revolves in its tension ring.

The operation of the invention is as fol.- lows: Su posing the drawing `to show the rear of t e car, axle 7 being the leftfhand driving shaft and axle 8 the right hand drivlng shaft, and that both wheels'are driving.

backward. In this case the friction surfaces 17 and 22' of the driving members are engaging the driven members 27 and 28. Ifvr a corner is now turned, shaft 7 for instance, would. be the pro elling. shaftand the driven member 27 wou d. retain the position shown, while shaft 8 would overrun'- and turn the member" 28. until its side face touched the side face of member 27v when it would revolve without engaging either' of the clutch faces 18 or 22. On the other hand, if'the'turn wasin the opposite direction, shafty 8 would become the propellingshaftand clutch member 28 would remain in the' position shown, while shaft 7 would overrun and its clutch member 27 be shifted until ity encountered the spanners 35 and be arrested thereby. In this case, the clutch member which is acting, will act through the spanners to hold the member 27 which is shifting from engaging the frictiony surfacek of the driving'membertoward which. it moves in the shifting, and leaves it free to turn with the overrunnlng shaft. In driving ahead the friction surfaces 18 and 20 are engaged, and if a turn to the left is made, shifting member 27 remains engaged, While shaft 8 overruns and its Ashifting member shifts from 18 toward 22 without however engaging the latter, bein held between 18 and 22 by the spanners. .f the turn is to the' right, member 28 remains engaged, while member 27 shifts until it touches member 28 and thus is prevented from engaging either of its opposing friction' surfaces 17 or 20.

With my invention, each clutch releases whenever its shaft overruns, whether the motion is forward or back, and its shifting member assumes a neutral or non-acting position, but it rengages as soon as the over running ceases. overrun at the same time, as in going down hill, both clutches will engage so that it becomes possible to utilize the power of the motor to retard the machine. In all these And iny case both shafts' f operations the engaging and disengagingA of.

. the clutches is wholly automatic.

The screw sections 25 and. 26, are desirably made se arate from and fitted on the axles. Inasmuclh, however, as they are confined against movement longitudinally of the preferred, be cut in the metal of the axles themselves.

I claim 1. In diiierential clutch mechanism, the combination with independent shafts, of non-shifting driving clutch members, and shiftingv clutch members,v the latter having threaded engagement with their respective shafts same direction, and tension devices acting on the shifting members and causing them to shift, means for arrestingthe shifting movements. of any shifting member which overruns, being provided and consisting ofl a channeled ring engaging interior an'ges of. the shifting members.

2. The combination. in differential clutch mechanism, of the shafts, drivingmembers, shifting driven members, means for causing the shifting andl channeled. segments arresting the shifting movements inoutward` directo arrest the inward shifting movements of the othershifting. member.

3. InV differentialy 'clutch mechanism, the combination with ,independent shafts, of

shifting driven clutch members, .the latter having. threaded engagement with their yrein the same direction,.means for limiting` the shifting movementlof either shiftingmember 'which may overrun, I segments engaging flanges of the shifting. members', an

movement.

4. In differential. clutch mechanism, the

shifting. driven clutch members, the latter havingk threaded engagement vwith their reengaging flanges ofthe shifting members for means` for causing 'the shiftin movement.

5. The combination in. di erentiali clutch mechanism, of the shafts, driving. members, shifting driven. members, means` for causing the shifting and se ments havin shoulders engaging interior s louldersv of t members and acting as stops to the shifting movements.

6. The combination in differential clutch shifting driven members, ,means for caus' by means of threads running `in the'` tions, each shifting, member being adaptedr non-shifting driving clutch members, and.`

spective shafts by means of'threads running:

kconsisting of channeled combination with independent shafts, of non-shifting driving clutch members, andi limiting the shifting 'movement of either shifting member which may overrun, and

e shifting.

mechanism, of the shafts, driving members,`

the shlfting, and means located within theyi axles, and cannot turn, the screws may, if

means for causingthe shifting spective shafts by means of threads running in the samey direction, .channeled segmentsv driven members and acting as stops to the shiftincr movements'.

7.s Tie 'different-ie] clutch mechanism wherein are combined independent shafts, shifting driven clutch members threaded on the sh nits, the threads' of both running in the same direction` driving clutch members surronni'ling the driven members und. having friction surfaces opposing those of the driven members, tension devicesfor eiich shiftingv member attached to the driving members :md stop devices located within und engaging the interior of the shifting inembeis und fict-` i ing toefrrest the overrunning thereof.

8. The diii'eientml clutch mechanism wherein are combined independent shafts,

shifting driven clutch members mountedon the abutting ends of the shafts, threaded screw sections immovebly secured on the shafts and engaging interior threads of said shifting members, the threads of both sections running in the seme direction, driving clutch members surrouni'ling the driven members und having friction sui'fnces opposing those of the driven members, tension devices oreach sliif'ting member attached to the driving members, :ind stop devices located within and engaging the interior of the shifting members and zic-,ting to m'resttheA W.. HEDGELAND. i

overrunning thereof.

y FREDERICK Witnesses H. M'. MUNDAY, Enw. S. EvAnTs. 

